WAFCON 2026: Three Teams Advance to Quarter-Finals

Rabat – Three countries, Cameroon, Morocco, and Algeria, have qualified for the quarter-finals of the ongoing 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), becoming the first teams to book their places in the knockout stage.

Cameroon defeated Ghana 1-0 on Sunday in their Group D clash, with Marie-Gisèle Ngah Manga converting a 19th-minute penalty awarded after a VAR review for handball. 

The victory secured Cameroon’s place in the quarter-finals, making the Indomitable Lionesses the first team to advance to the knockout stage of the 2026 WAFCON.

Morocco joined the quarter-finalists after a goalless draw with Senegal on Monday in their final Group A match. The single point was enough to see the hosts finish top of the group, having previously defeated Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 

The Atlas Lionesses finished with seven points in the group, enough to finish ahead of Algeria.

Meanwhile, Algeria also secured a place in the quarter-finals after a 2-0 win over Kenya in their final Group A fixture on Monday. Marine Dafeur and Lynda Bendris found the net in the first half, lifting Algeria to five points and second place in the group behind hosts Morocco. 

With Cameroon, Morocco, and Algeria having secured their places in the quarter-finals, attention now turns to the remaining group-stage matches, which will determine the five other teams joining them in the knockout stage.